Chapter 19: There’s a Policy

After their promise, even though they continued to work together as they always had, something felt different. There was a lightness in their hearts, an inexplicable joy, as if they had just tasted honey.

That afternoon, while tending to the vegetable garden, when Shen Zhuo saw Ye Xin about to fetch water to water the plants, he immediately stood up. “Let me do it.”

Although Ye Xin appreciated his thoughtfulness, she had plans to sneak into her space to fetch spiritual spring water, and she wasn’t fond of the weeding work either. “You should pull the weeds. There are a lot that need to be done. I only need to carry half a bucket of water, it’s not heavy.”

Shen Zhuo gave in reluctantly.

The seeds they had planted had sprouted well, but the weeds were growing quickly too. After just a few days, a mix of grasses had already sprung up, and if they didn’t pull them now, they would only get worse.

As he bent down to continue weeding, Ye Xin returned to the front of the garden and, after a quick trip to her space, brought out a bucket of the spiritual spring water.

She started by watering the early crops—the lettuce, mustard greens, and other leafy vegetables were already over a foot tall, lush and green, and ready to be harvested soon.

Since Shen Zhuo discovered that their backyard garden wasn’t as barren as they thought, he’d been eager to water the plants every morning and evening. Ye Xin had let him do it, but she didn’t water them with the spiritual spring water every day. She would, however, give the earlier crops a little extra boost to speed up their growth.

But today, she could water everything.

Shen Zhuo worked diligently, pulling the weeds with precision and speed. When he saw the tomato seedlings he had planted—vibrant and healthy—bearing fruit and even blossoming small yellow flowers at the tops, he couldn’t help but sigh, “I thought they wouldn’t survive. I didn’t expect them to do so well.”

Ye Xin, who had secretly used the spring water on them, smiled and said, “We’ve been working hard, so of course, they’re thriving.”

Shen Zhuo agreed, “Maybe before, the soil was too compact, and the plants couldn’t grow well. After we loosened the ground and gave it proper care, the soil, water, and air have all improved. That’s why they’re growing so well.” He paused, then added with a thoughtful tone, “From now on, we’ll need to be more diligent.”

Ye Xin turned around to look at him, her eyes amused, then glanced at the two tomato plants that were now full of fruit. “It looks like we’ll be able to eat them soon. We can make stir-fried tomatoes with eggs.”

Shen Zhuo’s heart stirred with anticipation.

Apart from weeding, he began to break apart some of the branches he had previously cut to make a fence.

Though there were no neighbors on the slope and it was in a secluded part of the backyard, having a fence around their garden just felt nicer. Especially on the two sides near the mountain, a fence could help keep small animals out.

Shen Zhuo worked carefully, sharpening the ends of the branches before slanting them into the soil. The branches were evenly spaced and arranged in a crisscross pattern, forming a beautiful diamond-shaped fence. Afterward, he built a simple frame to support the beans and cucumbers that were beginning to climb.

Meanwhile, Ye Xin was still in the front and back of the house, slowly watering the plants with bucket after bucket.

By the end of the afternoon, the vegetable garden looked completely transformed. The weeds were gone, leaving behind only healthy green plants. The soil was fresh and moist, the fence and trellis neatly constructed, and the garden looked ready for a bountiful harvest. Anyone who looked at it would know that the owners had put their heart into it.

The two of them stood side by side, looking at their beautiful garden with satisfaction.

The sun was beginning to set when Ye Xin turned to Shen Zhuo. “Go ahead and make dinner. I’ll take a look around.”

Shen Zhuo nodded. “Sure.”

Ye Xin added, “Don’t cook porridge, make some rice instead. And cut half a piece of cured pork.”

Shen Zhuo smiled at her eagerness to have some meat, though he was just as eager himself. Without protest, he agreed.

Once he headed back to the kitchen, Ye Xin listened for a moment to confirm he had started the fire before sneaking back into her space.

The crops inside her space were growing at an incredible pace, and many were already ready to be harvested. Everything looked fresh and vibrant. Seizing the opportunity, she quickly picked some lettuce, then went back outside to the garden to pull a few symbolic weeds, before washing the vegetables by the well.

Once done, she brought them back inside.

In the Kitchen

When Shen Zhuo saw the vegetables, he was a bit surprised. “Did you pick these from the garden?”

Ye Xin kept her expression calm. “Yes, I did.”

Noticing that some of them were still small, Shen Zhuo looked slightly regretful. “Why are you eating them? They’re not fully grown yet.”

Ye Xin shrugged. “I thinned them out. They were growing too densely. Plus, they’re tender at this stage—perfect for eating.”

Shen Zhuo took a closer look and, indeed, the leaves were a deep green and full of moisture. They looked absolutely delicious.

The meal was nearly ready, and the cured meat had been sliced. Ye Xin stirred the fire, and Shen Zhuo began frying the meat.

Just as the aroma of the sizzling meat filled the small yard, someone knocked on the door.

They exchanged a puzzled glance. “Who could it be at this hour?” Ye Xin wondered.

“Go ahead and keep cooking,” she said to Shen Zhuo as she stepped out to answer the door. To her surprise, it was the village head, Li Xingguo. She felt a bit startled but also relieved at the same time.

As she invited him in, she smiled and said, “Perfect timing, we’re just making dinner. Village Head, why don’t you stay and eat with us? Earlier, Shen Zhuo and I had some time to go up the mountain for herbs. We sold them in town today and bought some meat to enjoy.”

Li Xingguo caught a whiff of the mouth-watering aroma and knew he’d come at an inconvenient time, but since he was already there, he couldn’t just leave. “I won’t trouble you for a meal,” he said, “I came to talk to Shen Zhuo about something. Is he in the kitchen?”

Ye Xin didn’t ask more questions. “He’s frying some meat. Please sit, I’ll call him.”

She led Li Xingguo to the living room and then went to inform Shen Zhuo. “He’s here. I’ll take over cooking.”

Shen Zhuo, having heard the knock earlier, knew it was the village head. He felt a bit uncomfortable. Times were tough, and especially in their poor household, being seen buying meat like this might raise questions.

Thankfully, Ye Xin had already explained why they had the money to buy meat. He admired how quick she was to explain things.

Now, seeing her about to take over the cooking, he still felt a bit uneasy. “Are you sure you can handle it?” he asked. After all, the last time she cooked the sweet potato leaves, they ended up burnt. The meat was expensive—he didn’t want it ruined.

Ye Xin gave him a slight glare, slightly offended. “Why wouldn’t I be able to handle it? Hurry up and go, don’t keep the village head waiting.”

Reluctantly, he handed her the spatula, wiped his hands, and headed toward the living room.

When he met Li Xingguo, he politely asked, “Village Head, what can I do for you?”

Li Xingguo gestured for him to sit and asked, “I heard from Ye Xin that you’ve been collecting herbs in the mountains lately?”

Shen Zhuo nodded, a bit reserved as usual. He wasn’t one to say much.

Li Xingguo continued, “I know things are tough at home, and that collecting herbs is your way of earning some money. But you still need to be careful. Your father…” He sighed as he trailed off.

Shen Zhuo paused for a moment, then quietly said, “I know. I avoid dangerous areas, and I always go with Ye Xin. She looks out for me. Thank you for your concern, Village Head.”

Li Xingguo nodded, seemingly reassured. “It’s good that you’re being careful.”

After a brief pause, his expression softened as he asked, “By the way, how are things between you and Ye Xin?”

Shen Zhuo’s mood brightened at the mention of her name. “She’s doing well. Everything is good between us.”

Li Xingguo studied his face for a moment, understanding his mood, and smiled. “That’s good to hear.”

With that out of the way, Li Xingguo got to the main topic. “I came to speak to you about a policy.”

Shen Zhuo straightened up at the mention of a policy. “Please, go ahead.”

It turned out that Li Xingguo had also gone to town that day—not for shopping, but for a meeting at the commune. Afterward, he had attended a ceremony for the completion of a barefoot doctor training program at another commune, learning from their experiences.

The commune where they lived was also planning to start a barefoot doctor training program.

Li Xingguo explained, “The policy to promote barefoot doctors and meet the healthcare needs of rural areas was proposed back in ’65. Now…”

Due to the shifting tides of the times, the policy had been temporarily shelved. However, it was brought up again in the second half of last year. Some regions responded swiftly to the policy. In December, during the farming off-season, they organized training programs for aspiring barefoot doctors. By spring, after the busy season of plowing, the trainees reconvened for further study.

Though the training had been rushed, the new recruits couldn’t be called fully qualified doctors yet, but they had acquired the basics of medicine and patient care. Once the training concluded, these freshly minted barefoot doctors returned to their respective villages, ready to treat people at local medical stations.

Rural doctors had always been in short supply. In the Fengshui village, for example, there wasn’t a single doctor, so people had to travel all the way to the commune or town for medical care. The roads were tough, and in case of an emergency, the distance alone could mean the difference between life and death.

But to run these training programs, they needed teachers. The communes that quickly implemented the policy were those with enough medical professionals to lead the classes. However, in Hongze Commune, where resources were particularly scarce, there were only two doctors at the town health clinic, who were always swamped with work. The commune simply couldn’t afford to organize training the previous year.

In reality, starting the program sooner would have been better. Once the barefoot doctors were trained, rural healthcare would improve, alleviating the overwhelming pressure on the town clinic and reducing the number of people traveling long distances for treatment.

Now, with successful experiences from other communes and support from county-level doctors, Hongze Commune decided it couldn’t lag behind any longer. They were determined to get the program off the ground this year.

Today, Director Zhou of the commune had sent out a notice to the production brigades, urging village heads to carefully select candidates. Each brigade would have three or four slots for the training, which would be held during the winter, when farming was at a standstill.

The ideal candidates were young, with some medical knowledge, a sharp mind, steady temperament, and good character. Li Xingguo, the village head, quickly thought of Shen Zhuo after scanning through the young men in his brigade.

Sure enough, just as he had heard, Shen Zhuo had recently been going up the mountain to collect herbs. Li Xingguo knew he had found the right person. If he could sell medicinal herbs, it meant he already had a good understanding of them and would be able to learn quickly.

Li Xingguo said, “This is the situation, Shen Zhuo. I know you’re a serious and steady person, which makes you suitable for the role of a doctor. The work in the fields is tough, and this could be a good opportunity.”

Shen Zhuo listened carefully and replied, “Village Head, I can’t say for sure right now. I need to think about it.”

Li Xingguo nodded. “The training will only start at the end of the year, so take your time to think it over. Just let me know your decision when the time comes.”

Shen Zhuo nodded.

With the matter settled, Li Xingguo stood up. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it. I’ll be heading home now.”

Shen Zhuo also got up and caught a whiff of the delicious smell wafting from the kitchen. Thankfully, nothing seemed to be burnt. He felt relieved and said, “The meal is ready. Why don’t you have some before you leave, Village Head?”

Li Xingguo waved his hand. “No need. Dinner is waiting for me at home. I’ll head out now.”

In these times, food was scarce for every household, and it was considered impolite to visit others during meal hours. Especially when it was a rare occasion when someone had meat. Li Xingguo, at his age, wasn’t about to inconvenience himself by eating at the homes of young people, so he hurried away, avoiding the tempting aroma of meat.